Turkish Odyssey (Small Group Tour) - 17 Days / 16 Nights

Included Highlights:
- Small group size max 22 people
- Topkapi Palace and St. Sophia Basilica
- Grand Bazaar, world’s largest and oldest covered
Market
- Anzac Cove at Gallipoli
- Ancient city of Troy
- Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary
- Pamukkale the Cotton Fortress
- St. Peter’s Castle and Underwater Museum
- Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World
- Ancient Kings’ Tombs of Caunos City
- Ancient Cities Xanthos and Patara
- Church of St.Nicholas (Santa Claus)
- Aspendos and its 1800 year-old theater
- Mausoleum of Sufi philosopher Mevlana
- Saratli, an ancient secret underground city
- Open Air Museum of Goreme, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site
- Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara
- Safranbolu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Lunch with locals
- Special dinners at restaurants

Departures

Itinerary

Day 1 Sun: Istanbul

Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Welcome briefing will be held. Overnight at Innova Hotel or similar (2 nights)Accommodation:Innova Sultanahmet Istanbul

Day 2 Mon: Istanbul

Enjoy a full day tour including a visit to Topkapi Palace Museum, residence of the Ottoman Sultans between the years 1453–1852 (excluding harem). Visit the Hippodrome, which was once the center of life where chariot racing and other public events took place. Tour the Blue Mosque built between 1609 and 1616, famous for its blue ceramic tiles. Your last stop will be the famous Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest and oldest covered market with over 60 streets. Join an optional dinner with belly dancing entertainment. Included Meals: B

Day 3 Tue: Istanbul – Gallipoli – Troy – Assos

In the morning depart for Gallipoli, the site of many battles during WWI. Visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, then cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale to visit Troy with its famous wooden horse. Continue to Canakkale for overnight at Nazlihan Boutique Hotel or similar.Accommodation:Nazlihan HotelIncluded Meals: BD

Day 4 Wed: Assos – Pergamum – Kusadasi

After breakfast depart for Pergamum. Before arriving in to Asclepion, enjoy a lunch with locals in a traditional local village. Tour the ancient Medical Center Asclepion in Pergamum and continue to Kusadasi for overnight at Carina Hotel or similar.Accommodation:Hotel Carina KusadasiIncluded Meals: BLD

Day 5 Thu: Ephesus & St.Mary’s House – Pamukkale

Tour the famous ruins of Ephesus, an important cultural center of the ancient world, and explore 2,000 year-old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, a gymnasium and Hadrian’s Temple. Take a short drive to see St. Mary’s stone cottage where it is believed Virgin Mary spent her last years
accompanied by St. John. Continue to a regional rug production center to have a firsthand experience of this unique art form. Afternoon drive through lush valleys to Pamukkale, the Cotton Fortress, with white lime cascades formed by hot mineral springs. enjoy a swim in your hotel’s thermal pool. Overnight at Doga Thermal Hotel or similarAccommodation:Doga Thermal Hotel PamukkaleIncluded Meals: BD

Day 6 Fri: Pamukkale – Bodrum

After Breakfast visit ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis and later drive to Bodrum to visit the Castle of St.Peter and the renowned
Underwater Museum that was awarded the best Underwater Museum of the World in 2000s. Overnight in Doria Hotel, Bodrum or similar.Accommodation:Doria Hotel BodrumIncluded Meals: B

Day 7 Sat: Bodrum – Marmaris

After breakfast, late morning departure to foundations of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Afterwards, depart to Marmaris. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris Fantasia Hotel or similar (2 nights).Accommodation:Marmaris Fantasia HotelIncluded Meals: BD

Day 8 Sun: Marmaris

Enjoy a day at leisure at this lovely town of Marmaris or an optional day tour to Rhodes. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris.Included Meals: BD

Day 9 Mon: Marmaris – Dalyan - Kalkan

After breakfast, depart for Dalyan. Arrive at Dalyan village after a short trip and take a river boat to have a tour to the famous mud baths with sulphur hot springs. View the Ancient Kings’ Tombs of Caunos
City. Finally have a relaxing swimming break at Iztuzu Beach (also known as Turtle
Beach), which is a natural shelter and breeding site for Blue Crabs and nearly extinct Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta Caretta). Continue and overnight in Kalkan at Patara Prince or similar. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Accommodation:Kalkan Patara PrinceIncluded Meals: BD

Day 10 Tue: Kalkan – Myra – Antalya

After breakfast depart for Antalya, en route
visit famous Church of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) in Demre and ancient sight of Myra, then continue to Antalya for dinner and overnight at Puding Marina Hotel or similar (2 nights).Accommodation:Puding Marina AntalyaIncluded Meals: BD

Day 11 Wed: Perge –Aspendos – Antalya

This morning visit Perge and Aspendos afternoon is free for personal activities. Dinner at local restaurant. Included Meals: BD

Day 12 Thu: Antalya – Konya

Day 13 Fri: Konya – Cappadocia

After breakfast departure to Cappadocia on the
way visit 13th century Caravansaray and later visit underground city of Saratli. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia at Dilek Kaya Hotel or similar. (2 nights) Join an optional Whirling Dervishes performance.Accommodation:Dilek Kaya OtelIncluded Meals: BD

Day 14 Sat: Cappadocia

Early Morning Optional: Hot Air Balloon Tour. Experience floating through volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys and caves at sunrise. After breakfast visit Goreme, a historical region of Turkey, located among the rock formations, which was first settled back in the Roman period. Many rock churches can still be seen today, as Christianity was then the prevailing religion in that region. Continue to the town of Avanos renowned for its high quality earthenware. Also visit Pasabagi, Red Valley and attend a brief regional pottery workshop. Dinner at a special local restaurant. Included Meals: BD

Day 15 Sun: Cappadocia – Ankara – Safranbolu

Early morning departure to the
capital city of Ankara through the salt lake area, Enjoy an afternoon tour Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, a historic caravanserai, holding artifacts from up to 7500 years old, including the most extensive and valuable collection of Hittite artifacts in the world. Continue to Safranbolu for dinner and overnight at Cincihan Hotel or similar.Accommodation:Cinci Han HotelIncluded Meals: BD

Day 16 Mon: Safranbolu – Istanbul

After breakfast visit the old part of Safranbolu, then continue to Istanbul. In the afternoon, join an optional half-day St. Sophia & Bosphorus cruise enjoying the strait that separates Asia and Europe. Its shores are lined with fine neighborhoods, Ottoman palaces, fortresses, old wooden villas
hotels, parks and gardens, restaurants and cafés. Finish your last minute shopping at the Spice Market filled with the fragrance of the exotic east. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner. Overnight at Innova Hotel, Istanbul or similar.Accommodation:Innova Sultanahmet Istanbul Included Meals: BD

Included

- Meet and greet on arrival
- round-trip airport transfers
- accommodation as described (or similar), with en-suite facilities, based on double occupancy
- ground transportation and sightseeing as indicated inclusive of entrance fees
- meals as described by BLD
- local taxes and service charges
- services of professional English speaking guides.